Amid the uncertainty surrounding the future of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, a new opportunity has arisen. Now, numerous golfers including Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and Jon Rahm are playing in both PGA Tour and LIV Golf events, greatly boosting their total career earnings.
The sport is in the midst of foundational changes as the PGA-LIV merger lingers and NIL gives new sponsorship opportunities to college golfers.
But one constant has been Tiger Woods, who’s earned $185.7 million to remain the highest-paid professional golfer. Although he hasn’t won a major championship since 2019, Woods has earned at least $12 million more in career earnings than any other golfer.
He’s also earned the most from his 15 major championships, having made $28.2 million from them.
Dustin Johnson is third with $148.6 million in career earnings but has earned the most from LIV with $51.6 million. Johnson announced his resignation from the PGA Tour in 2022 to compete in the LIV Golf Series full-time.
The two-time major champion winner will hope for a breakthrough in the merger talks between PGA and LIV to be allowed to participate in PGA tour events again.
Only the top five highest-paid professional golfers have made over $100 million in career earnings.
Scottie Scheffler, earning $109.3 million for fifth, has already made $15 million in prize money this year. His dominance as the number one ranked golfer has some questioning whether he’s to blame for golf’s slump in ratings, while others point the finger at the PGA-LIV drama.
Nine golfers from the LIV Golf series are among the highest-paid golfers in the world.
Cameron Smith is the only golfer who has made more in career earnings from LIV than PGA. He has earned $36.1 million with LIV since joining in August of 2022 compared to $34.7 million from his time with the PGA.
Ranking The Highest-Paid Golfers in the World
Here is the full list of the top 25 highest-paid professional golfers by their total career earnings between PGA and LIV. The list was compiled using data from Spotrac.
- Updated: July 26, 2024
| Rank | Player | PGA Earnings | LIV Earnings | Total Earnings |
| 1 | Tiger Woods | $185.7 million | – | $185.7 million |
| 2 | Rory McIlroy | $174 million | – | $174 million |
| 3 | Dustin Johnson | $97 million | $51.6 million | $148.6 million |
| 4 | Phil Mickelson | $105.8 million | $6 million | $111.8 million |
| 5 | Scottie Scheffler | $109.3 million | – | $109.3 million |
| 6 | Xander Schauffele | $98.7 million | – | $98.7 million |
| 7 | Jordan Spieth | $95.1 million | – | $95.1 million |
| 8 | Justin Thomas | $94.6 million | – | $94.6 million |
| 9 | Jim Furyk | $86.6 million | – | $86.6 million |
| 10 | Jon Rahm | $77.8 million | $8.3 million | $86.1 million |
| 11 | Adam Scott | $85.5 million | – | $85.5 million |
| 12 | Brooks Koepka | $50.9 million | $33.5 million | $84.4 million |
| 13 | Vijay Singh | $82.7 million | – | $82.7 million |
| 14 | Sergio Garcia | $56.9 million | $25.6 million | $82.5 million |
| 15 | Justin Rose | $81.9 million | – | $81.9 million |
| 16 | Patrick Cantlay | $78.5 million | – | $78.5 million |
| 17 | Jason Day | $78.4 million | – | $78.4 million |
| 18 | Matt Kuchar | $72.2 million | – | $72.2 million |
| 19 | Cameron Smith | $34.7 million | $36.1 million | $70.8 million |
| 20 | Patrick Reed | $42.4 million | $25.4 million | $67.8 million |
| 21 | Rickie Fowler | $67.6 million | – | $67.6 million |
| 22 | Ernie Els | $66.7 million | – | $66.7 million |
| 23 | Bryson DeChambeau | $41.6 million | $24.9 million | $66.5 million |
| 24 | Hideki Matsuyama | $66.1 million | – | $66.1 million |
| 25 | Bubba Watson | $55.4 million | $6.6 million | $62 million |
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